Wednesday, 22 August 2012

:: Asian Inspiration ::

Satay Sauce & Thai Salad

:: Megann’s Kitchen ::

:: the best ever satay sauce from Megann's Kitchen ::

They
say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach… & for my husband this Satay
Sauce is it. Ever since I learnt that Satay was my husband's preferred dish, I have spent years trying to perfect
it as it’s his absolute favourite. It
started out just with my mum’s simple recipe - then as my taste buds
developed, so did my quest for the perfect satay sauce.

This
Satay Sauce is not traditional, however it is
inspired by Asian flavours & was invented in Megann’s Kitchen by trial
& error. That is the best way to create! It has quite a few ingredients,
but you will find that many of them are pantry basics & easy to keep on hand. I
love this Satay Sauce with a Thai salad as it is tasty & fresh, but you
could serve it with anything. It is just so versatile! Great from BBQs with the friends to a simple weeknight meal with the family.

:: chicken skewers with rice noodles & thai salad ::

Sauce

1
cup smooth peanut butter

¼
cup crunchy peanut butter

200
ml coconut milk

250-300
ml chicken stock

½
shallot or 1 spring onion, finely
sliced

1
cheek of red capsicum, finely diced

1
Tbs coriander stalks, finely chopped

2
Tbs white vinegar

½
tsp red paprika

½
tsp dried chilli flakes (adjust to personal
heat preference)

½
tsp ground coriander seeds

½
tsp ground cumin seeds

1
tsp soy sauce

1
small garlic clove, crushed

5
kaffir lime leaves, crushed in hands

1
lemongrass stalk, broken into four

1
Tbs fresh lime juice

1
tsp fish sauce, or to taste

Salad

300g
salad lettuce - such as cos, butter, mixed greens, etc

200g
cherry tomatoes, halved

1
continental cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks

½
red onion, finely sliced

1
long fresh red chilli, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced lengthways

½
bunch fresh mint, leaves picked, large leaves torn

½
bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked

½
bunch fresh Thai basil, leaves picked, large leaves torn

¼
cup toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

2 kaffir lime
leaves, finely sliced

portions of rice
noodles or jasmine rice to serve

Skewers

500g desired
skewers, such as chicken

:: place all ingredients into the pot & heat ::

Place
all satay sauce ingredients into a
small saucepan & stir constantly over very low heat until the mixture warms
& comes together. Remove from heat & let the flavours infuse for at least half an hour. While the sauce
is resting, assemble all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl &
prepare rice noodles according to packet instructions. Cook your desired
skewers & rest for 5 minutes. Just before you are ready to serve, quickly
return the sauce to heat to bring to temperature but do not boil, as it will cause the oils to separate. Reheating
should also bring it to a slightly thicker consistency, perfect for skewers.
Remove lemongrass stalks & kaffir lime leaves & serve over skewers
topped with extra coriander, chilli slices & toasted peanuts.

::When making it for the
family, there is always one that likes to spice things up a bit. Have some
extra sliced fresh red chilli or
dried chilli flakes in a side dish (but do not touch it with bare hands!) to
cater for those who like a bit of heat!

:: IN THE KITCHEN ::

:: MORE ABOUT THE BAKER & MAKER ::

"I believe food is about creating memories. There is not one dish that does not have a fond memory attached to it in one way or another, so please, enjoy my memories of cooking & creating in Megann's Kitchen..."